|
|
|
Benny Hinn repents of his prosperity teaching - again! p.1 In a Sept. 2, 2019 video, Hinn said he is now breaking with friends in ministry who preach the prosperity gospel. One of the Headlines: Benny Hinn renounces prosperity gospel, says ‘Holy Ghost is just fed up with it’ By Leonardo Blair, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, September 04, 2019 Faith healer and televangelist Benny Hinn. Facebook Declaring that the “Holy Ghost is just fed up with it,” controversial televangelist Benny Hinn, formerly one of the most aggressive proponents of the prosperity gospel, has for the first time in his career, delivered a full-throated rejection of the practice that made him and his family millions. Speaking to his followers during a Facebook Live broadcast Hinn declared the Gospel “is not for sale.” We get attacked for preaching prosperity, well it’s in the Bible. But I think some have gone to the extreme with it sadly, and it’s not God’s word what is taught, and I think I’m as guilty as others. Sometimes you go a little farther than you really need to go and then God brings you back to normality and reality. “The more you know the Bible the more you become biblically based and more balanced in your opinions and your thoughts, because we are influenced,” Hinn said. When I was younger I was influenced by the preachers who taught whatever they taught. But as I’ve lived longer, I’m thinking, ‘Wait a minute, you know this doesn’t fit totally with the Bible and it doesn’t fit with the reality.’ So what is prosperity? No lack. I’ve said this before.” Hinn makes it sound like he is a victim as an adult who knew full well what he was teaching, and it’s not going a little too far it’s the false promises he made, the manipulation he did and the money he received from it all. “I’m sorry to say that prosperity has gone a little crazy and I’m correcting my own theology and you need to all know it. Because when I read the Bible now, I don’t see the Bible in the same eyes I saw 20 years ago,” Hinn said as his followers rejoiced. “I think it hurts the Gospel, so I’m making this statement for the first time in my life and frankly, I don’t care what people think about me anymore,” Actually, it’s 40 years and Hinn did this recanting before, so why is it different now as this is not the first time he denounced this. This will be fully answered as we conclude. “I think it’s an offense to the Lord, it’s an offense to say give $1,000. I think it’s an offense to the Holy Spirit to place a price on the Gospel. I’m done with it. I will never again ask you to give $1,000 or whatever amount, because I think the Holy Ghost is just fed up with it. “Did you hear me?” Hinn asked as his audience responded affirmatively. When I read the bible now I don’t see the bible in the same eyes I saw it 20 years… I’m done with it. I will never again ask.” Well that’s a lot of years of between, not reading the Bible the correct way. “When they invite me to telethons I think they will not like me anymore. Because when you look at the word of God … if I hear one more time, break the back of debt with $1,000, I’m gonna rebuke them.” What he just said is Mike Murdock’s favorite and exclusive line for his ministry. Hinn has had him on his program many times and used it himself) In 2006, he sent his supporters a letter saying: “I am asking the Lord Jesus to speak to 6,000 of my precious partners to sow a seed of $1,000 in the next ninety days.” So he has been guilty of this very thing - a 1,000 seed. The $6,000,000 does not come close to the full cost of the jet, Hinn knows he will have more 6,000 contributors. Another time Benny Hinn pleaded on his website for donations. “$1.8 million is immediate and pressing, and it requires your most urgent attention. In fact, unless I raise a substantial amount of money in the next 72 hours, This Is Your Day with Benny Hinn could be taken off one of its airings,” If I hear one more time break the back of debt with a thousand dollars I’m going to rebuke them” What is disturbing is that the people in the audience agreed with him, nodding their heads that what he is saying is correct. Yet many of these are those that supported him as he was doing it. “I think that’s buying the Gospel. That’s buying the blessing. That’s grieving the Holy Spirit. … If you are not giving because you love Jesus, don’t bother giving,” Hinn argued. “I think giving has become such a gimmick; it’s making me sick to my stomach.” This is nothing that a few anti-acid tums can bring him relief from. But what makes the body of Christ sick? Hinn’s teachings do, despite that he claims God uses him to heal, he does far more damage as he continually misleads millions by his teachings on Christ and God. I have watch and documented Hinn’s teachings for over 30 years and it does not get much worse than what he teaches. Those who know of Hinn’s track record hope for the best but they will always be cautious and take a wait-and-see perspective, because we’ve seen this before multiple times. As a Charismatic abuser, Hinn has done this kind of spin before. “I no longer believe the faith message” (Christianity Today, October 1991). But he continued to teach it. His disavowing word-faith teaching had him teaching the exact same things he had supposedly renounced months prior. The fact is, if Hinn repented of all the wrong, all the falsehoods he taught, his false prophecies, he would not have a ministry today. He is a repeat offender on many turn arounds on many things. Hinn has claimed divine-revelation-knowledge as his source for many of this teachings. He insisted God told him those things. He furthermore claimed God was the source of all the false prophecies he has uttered. But for now let’s look specifically at his prosperity teaching turnaround[s], these are just a few. In 1987 Hinn said – “What's the message out there today? it's a message of ego. pride, and selfishness... If I hear prosperity one more time, I'm gonna throw-up. True prosperity has nothing to do with money ...There s too much today being preached that's not Gospel. And I was preaching it myself, because I honestly believed that these men whom I respect must be hearing from God...” (Orlando Christian Center, June 21, 1987) In 1993 Hinn said. “The teaching on prosperity has gone too far. It has become a business. It is no longer 'give so you will bless somebody.' It has become 'give to get.' It has become selfish, worldly. ...I feel terrible that I once put too much emphasis on material prosperity…”God is shaking me,” said Hinn. “He is making dramatic changes inside of me. ...The Lord is showing me some things I have been wrong about” (Orlando Christian Center, interview with Charisma magazine editor Stephen Strang August 1993) “Preachers who live in big houses and drive big cars ought to examine their calling.”(9/93) It only took a few months to reverse his new found position that God shook him on. Hinn states the Lord continually speaks to him yet now he is saying he sees things in the Bible differently. All this time and he was not told he was wrong? Apparently the Lord taught him about this prosperity from the Bible now the Lord is teaching him the opposite? This does not fit in anyway the image he has casted for himself and the way he operates or acts. We must understand that Hinn says when he prays, “Whenever I talk to Him, I see Him. I can tell you what He - what He wears all the time. I can tell you what - what color He - He has on. I've seen that so many times. I - I'm talking about regular. When I talk to the Lord, He comes, I say “What - what uh, uh.” Often, most times, I see Him wearing a blue, beautiful, almost like a - like a silkish looking garment. And under it would be a white garment. Sometimes I'd see Him wear white and a - a scarlet garment. I've seen Him at times when just pure white altogether. You say, “Where do you see Him?” I don't know. I just see Him. “ (Blaisdell center Honolulu 2-28-97) Hinn grasps that a whole new generation knows nothing about his past, the heresies he promoted. “You see a church that preaches salvation they get saved every Sunday, if they do not preach healing nobody gets it, if they preach prosperity they’ll all believing for prosperity so they all get it” whatever they preach the people live, for faith cometh by what? Audience responds, “Hearing” (Hinn’s Miracle crusade in Hawaii Blaisdell Arena, Jan.10.2002) To say Mr. Hinn embraces the prosperity philosophy is an understatement. He declared on TBN, “I’m sick and tired of hearing about streets of gold [in Heaven]. I don’t need gold in Heaven. I got to have it now.” (Praise-a-Thon, TBN, 2nd April 1991) That speaks volumes of what he is about and his view of rewards for ministry. “I think it’s time we say it like it is: The gospel is not for sale. And the blessings of God are not for sale, and miracles are not for sale, and prosperity is not for sale.” In his message of prosperity being wrong he included that miracles are not for sale, well with near 40 years of selling them along with all the rest of his false teachings and prophecy. This man has a list longer than Luther who started a reformation. But there is also his manipulation to give, which he often denies. Here are just a few examples: “SOME OF YOU NEED TO GIVE LARGE SUMS TONIGHT. don’t you give those small sums if you have the large sums. Many of you have those small sums the best you can give is all God wants from you. The best you can give is all expects of ya. But some of you watching right now have money in the bank your gonna leave it behind, YOU MAY EVEN LOSE IT UNLESS YOU OBEY God tonight … God is speaking to you now…Do you know by holding back from God your keeping Gods blessings from your family (this is now using fear) by holding back from the Lord your saying no Lord I don't want you presence in my home.” (TBN Telethon) “Some of you sitting here have a lot of money. What are you going to do with it? Put it into a museum and enjoy it. Give it to your children who can waste it on dirt and filth and only God knows what? And if they’re saved they’ll use it for God.” (2/28/97 Blaisdell Center) “ So he is steering them to give to him, he will spend it better than their own family. “If you have big debt, you sow big seed…If I had to have a big financial miracle, I would not give a dollar. I would give a big sacrificial seed, believing God for the harvest.” (Impact News). On Labor Day 1996 Hinn designated it as a day of prayer for God to help people pay their bills. “If you have big debt, you sow big seed. Just the way it is! If I had to have a big financial miracle, I would not give a dollar. I would give a big sacrificial seed, believing God for the harvest. The Bible does clearly state that if people do give to God’s work, God will reward them. And I do not ever want to get to the place where I have to be begging for money to, ah, keep the bills paid. I, I don’t want that.’ Another time “If God would speak to you, even giving $10,000, $50,000, or maybe even a $100,000 we need, we can use it, believe me now. “Today you should give your biggest cash bill or write your biggest check and send it in and then expect God to give to you. You can’t out give God!” Then why does Hinn not give to be rewarded, since you can’t out give God. After explaining how much money the crusades cost “And a lot of these precious people can’t pay. I mean, they can’t give an offering. I tried to pick up an offering couldn’t do it… poor people to give anything . It’s just so hard to even ask them. I'm asking the Lord to speak to many of you to give a thousand dollars tonight. Some can give even more. Some can give even more…at least a hundred dollars to help us. He then instructed the people, “If you have nothing to give but you really want to give something to the Lord’s work, would you mind standing up…Now would you look around and see those standing around near you?… Somebody get up and give them some money so they can give also. There’s people standing up who have nothing to give. Somebody give them something to give so they can be blessed!” (Blaisdell Center Friday Night, February 28, 1997) He cleverly got people to give him double offerings in Hawaii. “It's the last days! Saints, this is why we need to give to the Gospel now more than ever. You know naively say well I gave last year. Forget it! Last year it's gone! That cycle is over with! Seed time - harvest of last year is gone. Every season is a fresh season. We are in a fresh season.” (Praise the lord Mar.29, 2000, TBN) Hinn tells them when the season begins and ends as if there is such a appointed season. Being a prosperity prophet he tells them when the special time is for a harvest. “The moisture of the spirit is present this is time, this is the moment.” “Give as you never given before.” That’s a sure way to take an offering it has all the elements of success, harvest just a few months away, God is going to do what you ask him, salvations are about to become unprecedented, the time is now. Hawaii blaisdell center Jan.10.2002) Here is his seed faith teaching in a nutshell The lord spoke to me clearly that this march begins our harvest time.” .. starting march this year harvest will begin for the church… he gave me specific months where the blessings will begin to flow, this is the time to sow as never before so when harvest comes you don’t miss it.” I think you precious saints are ready to give if you say Amen!…Harvest time is around the corner this is the most exciting time in church history. We are going to see the greatest harvest in world history. So as you give tonight expect the supernatural intervention of almighty God to come upon your life. Pray over the envelope, be specific with God, have a specific prayer for your harvest. If your looking for paying off your house or paying off your car or whatever your looking for ask God today, God is a God of specifics. Nothing becomes dynamic until it becomes specific. Be specific with the lord” (Blaisdell Center in Hawaii Jan.12, 2002) People gave to Hinn for many, many years under the false assumptions of His teaching on prosperity that he now renounces, what of restitution for this? Some may say they gave this money unto the Lord; others, if honest know they gave to get, for this is what prompted them to give, to get the blessing. Hinn says has been accused of living lavishly and flying private jets in the past, but that is not how he currently lives. Hinn brings in each year $100 million since the 90’s. He claims it is put toward the church and his healing services. Hinn, owns two multi-million dollar mansions (pictures), several Mercedes Benz cars, traveling on a Gulfstream IV private jet (cost of ownership is $36 million). He has stayed in some of the nicest hotels on earth, staying at the Kahala Mandarin in the presidential suite in $3,700-$5,000 a night hotel. Reported that he was paying as much as $25,000 per night in another hotel. The Fifth Estate also uncovered Hinn’s hotel bills from a layover in London. In a single night, he’d racked up over $4,000 in hotel bills, and he’d left the concierge and the bellmen a $2,000 tip. “'Well he flies private jets,'“ he continued, mimicking criticism. “No, I don't. I have not flown private in, dear God, years. I fly commercial just like anyone else...” (https://www.christianpost.com/news/televangelist-benny-hinn-admits-going-too-far-with-prosperity-gospel-in-wake-of-billy-grahams-death.html) Why would this be after years of flying his own private plane when Hinn has said “the plane is a necessity, not a luxury” because of his traveling. Costi says “In less than just two years of working within the movement … I enjoyed more luxury than I ever could have imagined. It felt like I was hanging out with King Solomon. There are wealthy people who have lots of money but don’t live lavishly; then there are wealthy people who have lots of money and know how to turn lavish novelty into normalcy. We were the latter.” He then gave examples of his life with Uncle Benny. Air travel on a Gulfstream IV (average cost of ownership: $36,000,000) https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thefreethinker/2019/07/it-can-be-pretty-embarrassing-to-be-a-hinn-says-conmans-nephew/ Costi Hinn, in his book, God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel: How Truth Overwhelms a Life Built on Lies, addresses how his family exploited millions around the world with the prosperity gospel and often traded so-called miracles for money. Costi Hinn, Benny's nephew, wrote about growing up a Hinn in God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel. “My uncle taught us that if we wanted God to do something for us, we needed to do something for him. This applied to everything—especially miracles. Whenever possible, Benny would preach to the masses that if they wanted a miracle for their sickness and disease, they needed to give money to God. No money? No miracle! Giving to God was the secret to unlocking your dreams. It was the secret to job promotions. It was access to our divine bank account” (p. 46).
Costi wrote about service after service where people were promised miracles, and received nothing. “One Sunday during a healing service, we declared everyone healed, even though half of the people were still sick when they left... At another service, people were being ripped out of wheelchairs left and right and barely limping across the stage. An elderly woman winced in pain as she was forced to walk in front of the crowd and told, 'Just move your legs in faith! Don't limit God with your unbelief! He is healing you right now!' She was still in her wheelchair the next time I saw her.” “Giving to God was the secret to unlocking your dreams,” Costi Hinn wrote. “It was the secret to job promotions. It was access to our divine bank account. My uncle often told the story of how he got out of debt using this system of belief. His father-in-law had told him that in order to be debt free, he needed to pay God. Benny explained that once he started emptying his bank account and giving money away to ministry, money started showing up from everywhere!” Hinn in his new found understand said to the facebook audience “Did Elijah the prophet have a car? No. Did not even have a bicycle. He had no lack. ... Did Jesus drive a car or live in a mansion? No. He had no lack. How about the Apostles? None lacked among them,” Hinn said. “Today, the idea is abundance and palatial homes and cars and bank accounts. The focus is wrong ... It's so wrong.” So is he going to sell his mansions, cars and plane? Or return the money he solicited You know the answer to this. No one gets anything back, he keeps its all. The fact is there is a lot of pressure on Hinn at this time. So the timing of his announcement may very well be tied to this. http://www.americangospelfilm.com/ This is a good read: Fearful of upcoming ‘Canaan Land’ film exposing him, Benny Hinn ‘repents’ of preaching ‘Prosperity Gospel’ https://medium.com/@victoriaevans_29732/fearful-of-upcoming-canaan-land-film-exposing-him-benny-hinn-repents-of-preaching-prosperity-23c404c703d
|
|
